dipping into the 40’s in West Texas, it is time to prepare to bring tender patio plants indoors. We need to look ahead and plan for that first freeze somewhere around Halloween.
Most tender patio plants are tropical and easily damaged by cold temperatures. Here are some suggestions to smooth patio plants’ transition from outdoor to houseplants by preparing them for their big change in environment. Hopefully they will stay alive and heathy until they can be placed safely outdoors next season.
First of all, decide if it is worth the time, indoor space, and attention that a plant will need to thrive indoors. If a plant is not worth the effort, toss it and purchase a new one next season. If it is—then here are some suggestions to transition patio plants to houseplants by preparing them for their big change in environment. Hopefully they will stay alive and heathy until they can be placed safely outdoors next season.
• Give all foliage a thorough cleaning. Plants grown outside will have dust, bird debris, fallen leaves, and tiny pests. Dish washing soap like Ivory or Dawn is mild enough to wash each leaf. Tenderly wash tops and bottoms, then rinse with clean water.
• Soil needs to be attended to, also. Some pests will have burrowed into the potting soil and pests like gnats will have made themselves at home. Drench the potting soil by soaking it. Water will fill in the air spaces that the insects need to breathe, washing them up or suffocating them. After a good soak, let the potting soil dry down before bringing in the plant.
• After the tops and bottoms have been cleaned, inspect each leaf from the tips to the base. Especially give the base a thorough inspection. There may be several life cycles on one plant so look for eggs as well as mobile stages.
• Some pests like mealybugs, whiteflies, spider mites, and scale are particularly bothersome. If, after a good washing mealybugs, whitefly eggs, and scale persist, they can be eliminated by dabbing each insect with alcohol, then rewash. Spider mites are a nuisance on plants that have had dry foliage. These are so small that several soapy washes might be necessary to remove them.
• Check the pots for these same pests. Next week: Providing indoor environments for houseplants. Ellen Peffley Harp, a retired professor of horticulture at Texas Tech University, writes about gardening for several Texas newspapers.
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